


Hold Your Breath Now

by rivlee



Series: No Dominion [10]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-10
Updated: 2012-10-10
Packaged: 2017-11-16 01:39:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/pseuds/rivlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A marking of mutual ownership. Follows the end of <i>Wild in a Rush of Wind</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** This is all fiction based off the characters as portrayed in the Starz television series _Spartacus_. No disrespect or harm is meant or intended. Title from Empires’ _Keep the Mood_. 
> 
> **Warning:** Non-graphic bodily piercing and a very, very brief mention of religious animal sacrifice. 
> 
> **A/N:** Unbeated. Someone needs to get blamed for this and I’m going with sandstone_dreams due to shared horrible puns made in comments over _Wild in a Rush of Wind_.

Duro looked up into Elill’s steady gaze and smiled. He was the calm one while Elill kept biting the inside of his lip in a familiar nervous reaction. Their roles should be revered, all things considered, since Duro was the one waiting to have a needle shoved through his nipple. 

“You do not have to do this,” Elill said.

“I want to,” Duro said. He’d said as much at least a thousand times since he brought up the subject. “I have pierced my ear and nose, Elill. The pain is not a concern.”

“This is different. It’s not something done by your clan.”

“Not yet. I rather think I’ll set off a ripple of requests though.”

Elill's eyes widened and he lowered the hand holding the needle. “Have you asked your Elders? What if they don’t approve? What will your uncle say?”

“Elill.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve met the Elders.”

“I have.”

“The ones who complimented you on the gold hoops adorning your chest.”

“You could’ve told me the robe slipped down,” he muttered.

“I was quite enjoying the view, to be honest. So was Freya. If that old goat didn’t already have two husbands to deal with she might try and snatch you.”

“A thing to contemplate. She should be able to last the whole night and morning.”

Duro rolled his eyes at the familiar jest. “Not everyone was born with your stamina.”

“True, though most have more than an untouched youth.”

Duro playfully bucked his hips. “A good excuse as any for more practice.”

Elill pushed them back down. “I don’t know if I can manage all the tutoring you require.”

“I always make it worth your effort.”

A dangerous smile covered Elill’s face and he cocked his head. He ran the fingers of his free hand over Duro’s lips. “You are a wild and majestic thing when completely undone. It is a sight I will never tire of.”

A shudder passed through Duro and he gasped. Simple _words_ should not render him such and yet Elill took a perverse delight in torturing Duro with them. 

“You are no priest but a demon spirit sent to entrap innocents and drive them mad.”

“ _You_ have never been counted among the innocents. Not with that mouth.”

“Certainly not after meeting your mouth.”

“I was far from the first man you laid with.”

“True. You are the first man I’ve loved.”

He reached up and cradled the back of Elill’s head, fingers tangling in his hair and gripped. He was addicted to that look on Elill’s face, the one of pure desire, eyes closed and chest heaving. 

“Elill,” he teased, “you must focus.”

“You are the worst curse the gods could think of for me.”

“You mean gift.”

“If we speak truthfully, I must say both.”

Duro laughed, shaking them both. “I can agree to that.” He tilted his head up and fit his lips against Elill’s. He would never tire of this, the smell, taste, and feel of Elill. This was home and comfort before he even understood what they meant to each other. Being this close to Elill, to his skin and his breath and his scent, always meant they were safe. 

“You’re stalling,” Duro said.

“You’re distracting,” Elill replied. 

Elill sat up and placed the needle back over the lamp’s flame.

“Remember what I told you. You must let it heal for half a moon’s cycle at the least. Do not try to remove the hoop. Do not get into a fight with your brother where he may try to rip it off. For the love of the gods do not show Iodocus yet either. I promised I would consider it once he reached his majority and since your uncle has already declared him such, it would put me a place I am not yet ready to consider.”

“Nervous are you?”

“I have only done this to myself, Adad, and Solon.”

“Nasir has already expressed interest for his own after he heard your history. I suggest you get used to the act. And here I am, willingly offering myself up for the sacrifice.”

“Do not make such jokes around those who have, in fact, sacrificed bulls to the gods.”

Duro wrinkled his nose. “I love you, Elill, but the less sheep’s liver readings stories I hear, the better.”

“It was good to learn of the practices of the auguries even if we never quite adopted their rituals.” 

Elill’s free hand rubbed over Duro’s left nipple bringing it to a rise as he soothingly shared old tales. Duro’s mind and body were in conflict. The natural reaction to desire battled with the hidden fear that always came when he knew pain was in the future. 

“Ready?” Elill asked as he paused in his tales about winged lions guarding gates.

Duro nodded, mouth and throat both suddenly dry , unable to speak. Elill dropped a quick kiss to Duro’s forehead before he set to task.

“Try to stay still,” he warned. One of Elill’s hands held Duro down and in place. The other clutched the needle.

“Do not forget to breathe,” Elill teased.

Duro inhaled and before he exhaled Elill already had the needle through his nipple. It was a quick, sharp pain. It hurt more than his nose and ear and his breath came out in a hiss.

“Shh,” Elill soothed. He petted Duro’s neck, then the top of his head. “Almost done.” 

Duro took another breath. Elill slipped out the needle and slipped in the gold ring. It caused a sick twisting in Duro’s stomach as Elill worked to make the hoop click together but it was over in seconds. 

Elill’s lips sucked a mark right over Duro’s rapidly beating heart. He met Duro’s eyes and smiled.

“You look as if you had too much wine,” he said.

Duro laughed as the pain gave way to euphoria. It would wear off soon, he knew, but he would much rather revel in the joy now. He reached a hand up to touch the hoop. Elill stayed him.

“No, do not touch. I mean it, it needs to heal. Leave it alone. It is an open wound that must heal and I will not spend weeks nursing your fevers again.”

“Yes you will,” Duro declared. “You’ve marked me as your own now, as one of your family.”

Elill dropped his head on Duro’s collarbone and groaned. Duro gasped as the strands of his hair tickled his oversensitive flesh.

“Why do I put up with you?”

“Because I make you happy.” 

Elill smiled at him, something soft and delicate, before resting his head on the other side of Duro’s chest. He breathed into the hollow of Duro’s throat and his fingers teased and taunted as they trailed down Duro’s body.

Duro raised his hips not even attempting to fight Elill’s influence or touch.

“You, who complains over stubbed toes and broken nails, have cock rising to this pain?”

“It is the person who inflicts it,” Duro said. 

He dug his fingers into the tattoo on Elill’s left hip and shifted their bodies. Elill slipped his leg between Duro’s own and ground down just as Duro pushed up. They both groaned and Duro’s fingers clumsily slid over Elill’s skin as he tried to draw him closer.

“More,” Duro demanded.

“I do not have—” Elill started.

Yes, yes, the godsforsaken oil they were meant to replenish at market yesterday.

“I need,” Duro whimpered. Actually fucking whimpered and he could not give one fuck.

“I know, I know,” Elill said. He carefully settled over Duro, mindful of his piercing, and wrapped Duro’s legs around his hips. “Do you remember this,” he asked. “The first time I had you between my legs while you struggled not to make a sound?” 

Duro nodded. There was nothing then but the two of them grinding against each other and leaning against the wall of the crumbling temple. There were covered in bits of blood, both their own and their enemies, and Elill’s hair smelled of smoke. Elill had pressed him against the stone in the shadow of the moonlight and held Duro up as they both rubbed their hips together. The friction, through layers of leather and cloth, had driven Duro mad then and the memory still caused his blood to rush. 

Now in their bed, sheets already wet with sweat, bare skin resting against bare skin, he didn’t even attempt greater thought. His hands did go up to Elill’s braids, pulling out ties and letting it all fall loose. He would have their scent carried in the strands for the rest of the night. 

The friction was becoming too much and Duro knew there would be burns and bruises to regret in the morning. He didn’t _care_. He came half off their bed as Elill gave one particularly strong jerk of his hips. 

“Are you with me?” he demanded.

“Always,” Duro breathed out. 

“Good,” Elill said.

He hitched Duro’s right leg up higher and then ground down _hard_. Duro’s release hit before his brain even caught up to it. A constant and common effect of Elill’s work on him. Elill pushed them both down on the bed and dragged his groin over Duro’s one more time before his teeth clamped down in the flesh of Duro’s collarbone and he came with a few light stutterings of his hips. 

Duro cradled Elill’s head on his chest and laughed into his hair.

“I fully expect a repeat of that when you pierce my right side.”

“You’re insatiable,” Elill said, already moving to clean them off.

Duro held him in place. They’d earned the right to savor their time. 

“And yours,” Duro vowed.

“As I’m yours,” Elill agreed. 

Duro started laughing as he thought of all the others who would demand piercings in the clan.

“My heartfelt sentiments are met with laughter,” Elill said. He pinched Duro’s right nipple. “I will not be so generous with this one then.”

“I am imagining my brother’s face after I tell him of this. I will wait, of course, until you’ve already started Nasir’s piercing. Can you just imagine the bellow Agron will release? They will think the dragons walk among us.”

His laughter filled their hut as Elill dug his fingers into the sensitive skin around Duro’s upper-arms and tickled. It was proper revenge for such a taunting. 

Duro didn’t believe in the gods, not even his own, but he wasn’t above thanking Elill’s for guiding them here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A completely ridic telling of how Nasir got his own piercing.

Elill wondered when his life became this, sitting on the packed dirt floor of a hut in East Germania in what felt like an unending winter. He was once a Corybante with admirers and influence in his temple. Now he spent his days learning of forest deities and teaching Latin to any who desired. Where once he watched the sacrificing of bulls now he helped milk goats. 

He rarely regretted his decision to come to Germania. It was only when he was lost in memory of Solon and the others or when Duro was out on night-duty leaving him to freeze in their bed that he questioned it for a moment. This moment here, however, was making him long for the almost simplicity of his former life.

Nasir, brother-of-heart and now bond, nervously sat on the ground across from him. His eyes kept flicking from the needle in Elill’s hand to his own chest and back.

“You have not spoken to Agron of this,” Elill said.

Nasir nodded. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Elill closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could very well be a dead man by the end of the night. It’s not that he and Agron didn’t get along. It’s just Agron had certain reactions with anything even hinting at Nasir’s pain. Certain reactions that often caused fists to fly before thoughts caught up. He had little doubt at this very moment Duro was taunting his brother. 

“If your man rips my head from my body for doing this I shall haunt you unto the ends of the world,” Elill threatened.

Nasir laughed. “He would never dare to harm you. It would make Duro upset.”

“You both lose mind when it comes to each other,” Elill argued.

Nasir scoffed. “Yes, because you were such a calm Corybante when that pirate captain tried to slice through Duro’s side.”

“I was deflecting the blow.”

“You broke his jaw and then you snapped his neck.”

Admittedly he may have _slightly_ overreacted in that moment but any threat to Duro’s scarred side deserved it. 

Elill held the needle over the flame and waited for it to heat up.

“I will tell you the same thing I told Duro. I fully expect you to share this information with Agron as well. You must leave it alone for two weeks at most. Keep Agron’s fingers and mouth away from it. In fact, keep his very breath away from it. If you do not heed my warnings than you can deal with consequences of infection.”

“Elill,” Agron roared through the village.

“I was expecting that,” Elill said as he sat back down.

“Did you at least unlatch the door?” Nasir asked.

“It’s already propped slightly open.”

Agron came barreling though nearly tripping over his own feet. He stopped right before he tumbled on top of them.

“You called,” Elill said.

Nasir covered his face as his shoulders shook with laughter.

“You would do this without me present?” Agron said.

“Firstly, it is Nasir’s choice.”

“It is,” Nasir agreed. “I asked him.”

“Secondly, I am to understand it was meant to be a surprise.”

“Ruined now but that’s typical with you,” Nasir said before he kissed Agron’s hand.

“Thirdly, you should know better than to listen to your younger brother when he is laughing like that.”

“You really should,” Nasir agreed. “Where is the little goat bastard?”

“Here,” Duro said. He slid behind Elill and laughed when his cold hands made Elill jumped. 

“Not that we are all present and accounted for and Agron can see I am not bleeding Nasir for sport, may I continue?”

Everyone nodded. 

“Good.” Elill pointed to Agron. “As long as you are here, put yourself to work.” He passed Agron a bowl of water. “Wash your hands and dry them off then make Nasir ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“I could attempt to pierce a flat nipple though I’ve never done it before,” Elill said. “I have a feeling neither Nasir nor I would be comfortable with my normal methods.”

Duro buried his head in Elill’s hair to avoid the look on Agron’s face. 

Agron hurriedly washed his hands all while glaring at Elill and Duro. Nasir exchanged a wink with them before turning to Agron and taking his lips in a deep, hungry kiss.

Elill diverted his eyes. “I can leave you two alone, if you wish.”

Duro pinched his side. “Let them have their moment. If you recall we had quite a few of our own before and after you pierced me?”

“They’re not going to separate anytime soon are they?” he asked.

“Unlikely,” Duro agreed. 

“Help me move your brother’s hand,” Elill said.

Duro hummed in agreement. He leaned over Elill and shifted Agron’s arm. Not that either Nasir or Agron noticed. 

“I am about to shove a needle through Nasir’s nipple,” Elill warned. “If anyone bites down accidentally on tongues or lips it is not my fault.”

“You are very calm about seeing my brother trying to swallow Nasir’s tongue.”

Elill titled his head. “I believe it is the other way around. Not that it matters. I have seen and participated in far worse during my time as one of the Corybantes. Until they head a drunken, drugged, mass orgy in the woods I won’t even blink.”

Elill slid from Duro’s arm and moved to Nasir’s side. “I’m about to insert the needle. Please try and stay still.”

Agron pulled away from Nasir’s mouth and rested their foreheads together. 

“Gratitude,” Elill said though he doubted his words were heard. 

Nasir’s piercing went much quicker than Duro’s. He didn’t make a sound, just kept himself breathing in synch with Agron. Elill slipped the hoop in, silver for Nasir as opposed to gold. 

“Okay?” Elill asked as he moved back to Duro.

“Yes,” Nasir said. His eyes were still closed. His head now rested on Agron’s shoulder.

“Can I?” Agron asked as he reached a hand out.

“No,” Elill slapped it away. “No touching, no kissing, no teeth. Do not even think of it for the next fortnight and even then use caution.”

“How long does it take to heal?”

“Fully? At least two months.”

“So Duro’s has just healed,” Agron said.

Elill shook his head. “His will take at least another two weeks since someone cannot help himself.”

“It itched,” Duro argued. 

“That was the healing,” Elill said. “I would hope Nasir has more patience.”

Nasir laughed before pressing a kiss to Agron’s temple. “When it comes to my wounds and their healing, Agron is the one with more patience.”

“I can expect to see the healing to a successful end then?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Agron said as if it was an order. He took Nasir’s lips in a kiss again with a hand resting right below the new piercing. 

“Good,” Elill said. He leaned into Duro’s arm, signaling that it was time to stand. 

“We will leave you to it,” Duro said. “Try not to ruin our home.”

“And remember,” Elill said, “keep hands, teeth, breath and _any other_ body parts and fluids away from that piercing.”

“They’re not listening to us,” Duro said.

“I can see that,” Elill said. He shook his head and closed the door behind them. He wrapped his arms around Duro’s waist and burrowed under his cloak. “I expect you to clean up any mess they leave before I return.”

Duro kept a tight hold on him. “And where are you going,” he breathed into Elill’s mouth.

Elill smirked as he stepped away with Duro’s stolen cloak. “To Gerlind. I feel the need to spend time with the one sensible member of this family.”


End file.
